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Robin faced round and stood on guard 
as he had been taught. 







Young Robin Hood 


o': MANVILLE FENN 


Author of “ The Little Skipper,” “ Our Soldier Boy,” etc. 


WITH TWENTY-THREE ILLUSTRATIONS 


PHILADELPHIA 

HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY 


67206 


Library of Conyres^ 

Tv/0 Copies Received j 

OCT 27 1900 

Copjrighi etiuj 

© O . 

copy. 

2nd Copy Mwored to 

ORDER DIVISION i 

OPT 304900 ' 



r7s 

.) 

,F 2Z 
Vo 




Copyright, 1900, by HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY. 



S IT still, will you? I never saw such a boy: wriggling 
about like a young eel.” 

“ I can’t help it, David,” said the little fellow so roughly 
spoken to by a sour-looking serving man ; the horse does jog 
so, and it’s so slippery. If I didn’t keep moving I should go 
off.” 

“ You’ll soon go off if you don’t keep a little quieter,” 
growled the man angrily, “ for I’ll pitch you among the 
bushes.” 

“ No, you won’t,” said the boy laughing. “ You daren’t 
do so.” 

“ What ! I’ll let you see, young master. I want to 
know why they couldn’t let you have a donkey or a mule, 
instead of hanging you on behind me.” 

Aunt said I should be safer behind you,” said the 
boy; ‘‘but I’m not. It’s so hard to hold on by your belt, 
because you’re so ” 

“ Look here. Master Robin, I get enough o’ that from 


5 


6 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


the men. If you say Fm so fat, Fll pitch you into the first 
patch o’ brambles we come to.” 

“ But you are fat,” said the boy; “ and you dare not. 
If you did my father would punish you.” 

“ He wouldn’t know.” 

“ Oh ! yes he would, David,” said the little fellow, con- 
fidently; “ the other men would tell him.” 

“ They wouldn’t know,” said the man with a chuckle. 
” I say, aren’t you afraid? ” 

“ No,” said the boy. What of, tumbling off? I could 
jump.” 

“ ’Fraid of going through this great dark forest? ” 

‘‘ No. What is there to be afraid of? ” 

“ Robbers and thieves, and all sorts of horrid things. 
Why, we might meet Robin Hood and his men.” 

“ I should like that,” said the boy. 

“ What ? ” cried the serving man, and he looked round 
at the great oak and beech trees through which the faintly 
marked road lay, and then forward and backward at the 
dozen mules, laden with packs of cloth, every two of which 
were led by an armed man. “ You’d like that? ” 

“ Yes,” said the boy. “ I want to see him.” 

“ Here’s a pretty sort of a boy,” said the man. “ Why, 
he’d eat you like a radish.” 

“ No, he wouldn’t,” said the boy, “ because I’m not a 

bit like a radish ; and I say, David, do turn your belt 

round.” 

“Turn my belt round?” said the man, in astonishment. 
“ What for?” 

“ So as to put the sword the other side. It does keep 
on banging my legs so. They’re quite bruised.” 

“ It’s me that’ll be bruised, with you punching and 

sticking your fisties into my belt. Put your legs on the 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


7 


other side. I can’t move my sword. I might want it to 
fight, you know.” 

‘‘ Who with? ” asked the boy. 

‘‘ Robbers after the bales o’ cloth. I shall be precious 
glad to get ’em safe to the town, and be back home again 
with whole bones. Sit still, will you! Wriggling again! 
How am I to get you safe home to your father if you 
keep sidling off like that? Want me to hand you over to 
one of the men ? ” 

‘‘ Yes, please,” said the boy, dolefully. 

‘‘ What ? Don’t want to ride on one of the mules. 


do you ? ” 

“ Yes, I do,” said the boy. I should be more com- 
fortable sitting on one of the packs. I’m sure aunt would 


have said I was to sit there, 
if she had known.” 

“ Look here, young 
squire,” said the man, sourly; 

“ you’ve too much tongue, 
and you know too much 
what aren’t good for you. 
Your aunt, my old missus, 
says to me : 

' David,’ she says, ‘ you 
are to take young Master 
Robin behind you on the 
horse, where he can hold 
on by your belt, and you’ll 
never lose sight of him 
till you give him into his 
father the Sheriff’s hands, 
along with the bales of 
cloth; and you can tell the 



V- 


8 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


Sheriff he has been a very good boy during his visit ’ ; and 
now I can’t.” 

“ Why can’t you? ” said the boy, sharply. 

“ ’Cause you’re doing nothing but squirming and working 
about behind my saddle. I shall never get you to the town, 
if you go on like this.” 

The boy puckered up his forehead, and was silent as he 
wondered whether he could manage to sit still for the two hours 
which were yet to elapse before they stopped for the night 
at a village on tl^e outskirts of Sherwood Forest, ready to go 
on again the next morning. 

“ I liked stopping with aunt at Ellton,” said the little 
fellow to himself, sadly, ‘‘ and I should like to go again; but 
I should like to be fetched home next time, for old David is 
so cross every time I move, and ” 

“Look here, young fellow,” growled the man, half turning 
in his saddle; “ if you don’t sit still I’ll get one of the pack 
ropes and tie you on, like a sack. I never see such a fidgety 
young elver in my Oh, look at that ! ” 

The man gave a tug at his horse’s rein; but it was not 
needed, for the stout cob had cocked its ears forward and 
stopped short, just as the mules in front whisked themselves 
round, and the men who drove them began to huddle together 
in a group. 

For all at once the way was barred by about a dozen 
men in rough weather-stained green jerkins, each with a long 
bow and a sheaf of arrows at his back, and a long quarter-staff 
in his hand. 

David, confidential servant and head man to Aunt Hester, 
of the cloth works at Ellton, looked sharply round at the 
half-dozen heavily-laden mules behind him; and beyond them 
he saw another dozen or so of men, and more were coming 
from among the trees to right and left. 



The stout cob dashed off at a gallop, with 
David holding on to the pommel. 



10 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


“ Hoi ! all of you,” cried David to his men. “ Swords 
out! We must fight for the mistress’s cloth.” 

As he spoke, he seized the hilt of his sword and began 
to tug at it; but it would not leave its sheath, and all the 
while he was kicking at his horse’s ribs with his heels, with 
the result that the stout cob gave a kick and a plunge, lowered 
its head, and dashed off at a gallop, with David holding on 
to the pommd. 

Two of the men made a snatch at the reins, but they 
were too late, and turned to the mule-drivers, who were 
following their leader’s example and trying to escape amongst 
the trees, leaving the mules huddled together, squealing and 
kicking in their fright. 

Young Robin just saw two packages roll to the ground as 
the cob dashed off ; then he was holding on with all his might to 
old David’s belt as the cob galloped away with half-a-dozen 
of the robbers trying to cut it off. 

Then the little fellow felt that he was being jerked and 
knocked and bruised, as the horse tore along with David, 
head and neck stretched out. There was a rush under some 
low boughs, and another rush over a patch of brambles and 
tall bracken; then the cob made a bold dash at a dense mass 
of low growth, when there was a violent jerk as he made a 
bound, followed by a feeling as if the boy’s arms were being 
torn out at the shoulders, a rush through the air, a heavy 
blow, and a sensation of tearing, and all was giddiness and pain. 


CHAPTER II 


I T is not nice to be pitched by a man off a horse’s back on to 
the top of your head. 

That is what young Robin thought as he sat up and rubbed 
the place, looking very rueful and sad. 

But he did not seem to be entirely alone there in the dense 
forest, for there was another young robin, with large eyes and 
a speckled jacket, sitting upon a twig and watching him in- 
tently. Robin could think of nothing but himself, his aching 
head, and his scratches, some of which were bleeding. 

Then he listened, and fancied that he heard shouting, with 
the trampling of mules and the breaking of twigs. 

But he was giddy and puzzled, and after struggling 
through some undergrowth he sat down upon what looked like 
a green velvet cushion; but it was only the moss-covered root 
of a great beech tree, which covered him like a roof and made 
all soft and shady. 

And now it was perfectly quiet, and it seemed restful 
after being shaken and jerked about on the horse’s back. 
Robin was tired too, and the dull, half-stupefied state of his 
brain stopped him from being startled by his strange position. 
His head ached though, and it seemed nice to rest it, and he 
stretched himself out on the moss and looked up through the 
leaves of the great tree, where he could see in one place the 

TI 


12 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


ruddy rays of the evening sun glowing, and then he could see 
nothing — think nothing. 

Then he could think, though he still could not see, for it 
was very dark and silent and strange, and for some minutes 
he could not understand why he was out there on the moss 
instead of being in Aunt Hester’s house at Elton, or at home 
in Nottingham town. 

But he understood it all at once, recollecting what had 
taken place, and for a time he felt very, very miserable. It 
was startling, too, when from close at hand someone seemed 
to begin questioning him strangely by calling out: 

“ Whoo-who-who-who ? ” 

But at the end of a minute or two he knew it was an 
owl, and soon after he was fast asleep and did not think again 
till the sun was shining brightly, and he sat up waiting for 
old David to come and pull him up on the horse again. 

Robin waited, for he was afraid to move. 

“ If I begin to wander about,” he said to himself, “ David 
will not find me, and he will go home and tell father I’m 
lost, when all the time he threw me off the horse because he 
was afraid and wanted to save himself.” 

So the boy sat still, waiting to be fetched. The robin 
came and looked at him again ,as if wondering that he did not 
pull up flowers by the roots and dig, so that worms and grubs 
might be found, and finally flitted away. 

Then all at once there was the pattering of feet, and half- 
a-dozen deer came into sight, with soft dappled coats, and one 
of them with large flat pointed horns; but at the first move- 
ment Robin made they dashed off among the trees in a series 
of bounds, 

Then there wt, . another long pause, and Robin was think- 
ing how hungry he was, when something dropped close to him 
with a loud rap, and looking up sharply, he caught sight of 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


13 



a little keen-eyed bushy-tailed animal, looking down from a 
great branch as if in search of something it had let fall. 

Squirrel ! ” said Robin aloud, and the animal heard and 
saw him at the same moment, showing its annoyance at the 
presence of an intruder directly. For it began to switch its 
tail and scold after its fashion, loudly, its utterances seeming 
like a repetition of the word “ chop ” more or less quickly 
made. 

Finding its scolding to be in vain, and that the boy would 
not go, the squirrel did the next best thing — bounded along 
from bough to bough; while, after waiting wearily in the hope 
of seeing David, the boy began to look round this tree and 
the next, and finally made his way some little distance farther 
into the forest, to be startled at last by a harsh cry which 
was answered from first one place 
and then another by the noisy 
party of jays that had been dis- 
turbed in their happy solitude. 

To Robin it was just as if the 
first one had cried “ Hoi ! I 
say, here’s a boy.” And 
weary with waiting, and 
hungry as he was, the con- 
stant harsh shouting 
irritated the little fellow 
so that he hurried away 
followed by quite, a 
burst of what seemed to 
be mocking cries, with 
the intention of finding 
the track leading across 
the forest; but he had 
not gone far before he 


14 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


found himself in an open glade, dotted with beautiful great 
oak trees, and nearly covered with the broad leaves of the 
bracken, which were agitated by something passing through 
and beneath, giving forth a grunting sound. Directly after he 
caught sight of a long black back, then of others, and he saw 
that he was close to a drove of small black pigs, hunting for 
acorns. One of the pigs found him at the same moment and 
saluted him with a sharp, barking sound wonderfully like that 
of a dog. 

This was taken up directly by the other members of the 
drove, who with a great deal of barking and grunting came 
on to the attack, for they did not confine themselves to 
threatening, their life in the forest making them fierce enough 
to be dangerous. 

Robin’s first thought was to run away, but he knew that 
four legs are better than two for getting over the ground, and 
felt that the drove would attack him more fiercely if they saw 
that he was afraid. 

His next idea was to climb up into the fork of one of 
the big trees, but he knew that there was not time. So he 
obeyed his third notion, which was to jump to where a big 
piece of dead wood lay, pick it up, and hit the foremost pig 
across the nose with it. 

That blow did wonders; it made the black pig which 
received it utter a dismal squeal, and its companions stop and 
stand barking and snapping all around him. But the blow 
broke the piece of dead wood in two, and the fierce little 
animals were coming on again, when a voice cried : 

‘‘ Hi ! you ! knocking our tigs about ! ” And a rough boy 
about a couple of years older than Robin rushed into the 
middle of the herd, kicking first at one and then at another, 
banging them with a long hooked stick he held, and making 
them run squealing in all directions. “ What are you knocking 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


15 


our tigs about for? ” cried the boy sharply, as he stared hard 
at the strange visitor to the forest, his eyes looking greedily 
at the little fellow’s purple and white jerkin and his cap with 
a little white feather in it. 

“ They were coming to bite me,” said Robin quickly, while 
it struck him as funny that the boy should knock the pigs about 
himself. 

“ What are you doing here ? ” said the boy. 

Robin told of his misfortune, and finished by saying: 

“ I’m so hungry, and I want to go home. Where can I 
get some breakfast?” 

“ Dunno,” said the boy. “ Have some of these? ” 

He took a handful of acorns from a dirty satchel, and 
held them out, Robin catching at them eagerly, putting one 
between his white teeth, and biting it, but only to make a 
face full of disgust. 

“ It’s bitter,” he said. “ It’s not good to eat.” 

Makes our tigs fat,” said the boy; “ look at ’em.” 

“ But I’m not a pig,” said Robin. “ I want some bread 
and milk. Where can I get some ? ” 

The boy shook his head. 

“ Where do you live? ” asked Robin. 

“ Along o’ master.” 

‘‘Where’s that?” 

The boy shook his head and stared at the cap and feather, 
one of his hands opening and shutting. 

“ Will you show me the way home, then ? ” 

The boy shook his head again, and now stared at the 
velvet jerkin, then at his own garb, which consisted of a piece 
of sack with slits in it for his head and arms to come through, 
and a strip of cow-skin for a belt to hold it in. 

“I could show you where to get something,” he said at last. 

“ Well, show me,” cried Robin. 


i6 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


“ You give me that jacket and cap, then,” cried the boy, 
in a husky, low voice. 

“Give you my clothes?” said Robin, wonderingly. “I 
can’t do that.” 

“ Then I shall take ’em? ” said the boy, in a husky growl. 

“ I’m so hungry,” cried Robin. “ Show me where to get 
something, and I’ll give you my cap and feather.” 

“ I wants the jacket too,” said the boy. 

“ I tell you I can’t give you that,” cried Robin. 

“ Then I means to take it.” 

Robin shrank away, and the boy turned upon him fiercely. 

“ None of that,” he cried. “ See this here stick? If you 
was to try to run away I should send it spinning after you, 
and it would break your legs and knock you down, and I 
could send the tigs after you, and they’d soon bring you back.’^ 

Robin drew a deep breath; he felt hot, and his hand& 
clenched as he longed to strike out at his tyrant. But the 
young swineherd was big and strong, and the little fellow 
knew that he could do next to nothing against such an enemy. 

Then there was a pause. Robin stood, hot, excited, and 
panting; the herd-boy threw himself down on his chest, rested 
his chin upon his hands, as he stared fiercely at Robin, and 
kicked his feet up and down; while the pigs roamed here and 
there, nuzzling the fallen acorns out from the bracken, and 
crunching them up loudly. 

Robin wanted to run, and he did not want to run, and 
all at the same time, for his strongest desire just then was to 
fight his tyrant ; and for some minutes neither spoke. 

At last the big boy said, in a low, growling way : 

“ Now then, are you going to give me them things? ” 

“ No,” said Robin, through his set teeth; and again there 
was silence. 

“ You give ’em to me, and I’ll show you the way to where 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


17 



they live and they’ll give you roast deer and roast pig 
p’raps, for two of ourn’s gone. Master says he counted ’em, 
and they aren’t all there, and he wales me with a strap be- 
cause I let them take the pigs, and next time he counts ’em 
there’s more than there was before, but he’s whipped me all 
the same. You give me them things, and I’ll take you where 
>ou’ll get lots to eat, and milk and eggs and apples. D’yer 
hear?” 

“ I won’t give them to you. I can’t — I mustn’t,” cried 
Robin passionately. 

The boy said nothing, but looked away at his pigs, two 
of which were fighting. 

“Ah, would you?” he cried; and he made 
believe to rush at them with his big 
hook-handled stick. 

Robin was thrown off 
his guard, and before he was 
aware of it the boy made a 
side leap and, dropping his 
stick, seized him, threw him 
over on his back, and sat 
astride upon his chest. 

“ Now won’t you give 
’em to me?” cried the 
herd-boy; and he whipped 
off the cap and threw it to 
a little distance, with the 
result that half a dozen pigs 
rushed at it ; and as he 
made a brave fight to get 
rid of his enemy, the last 
that Robin saw of his velvet 
cap and plume was that one 


i8 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


black pig tore out the feather, while another was champing 
the velvet in his mouth. 

It was a brave fight, but all in vain, and a few minutes 
later the boy was standing triumphantly over poor Robin, 
with the gay jerkin rolled up under his arm; and the little 
fellow struggled to his feet in his trunk hose and white linen 
shirt, hot, angry, and torn, and wishing . with all his might 
that he were as big and strong as the tyrant who had 
mastered him. 

“ I told yer I would,” said the young ruffian, with a grin. 
“ You should ha’ given ’em to me at first, and then I shouldn’t 
have hurt yer. Come on; I’ll show yer now where yer can 
get something to eat.” 

In his anger and shame Robin felt that he wanted no 
food now, only to go and hide himself away among the trees ; 
but his enemy’s next words had their effect. 

“ You didn’t want this here,” he said. “ You’ve got plenty 
on you now. Better nor I have. There, go straight on there, 
and I’ll show yer. D’yer hear? ” 

“ I don’t want to go now,” said Robin fiercely. 

“ Oh, don’t yer? Then I do. You’re agoing afore I makes 
yer, and when they’ve give yer a lot, you’re going to eat part 
and bring some to me so’s I can help eat the rest. You bring 
a lot, mind, ’cause I can eat ever so much. Now then, 
go on.” 

“ I can’t — I don’t want to,” cried Robin. “ You go first.” 

“What, and master come, p’raps, and find me gone! 
likely! he’d give me the strap again. There, get on.” 

Robin winced, for the young ruffian picked up his stick, 
and poked him as he would one of his pigs. But the little 
fellow could not help himself, and he went on in the required 
direction among the trees, the forest growing darker and 
darker, till suddenly voices were heard, and the boy stopped. 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


19 


“ You go straight along there,” he said, “ and Fll wait.” 

“ No, you go,” said Robin. “ You know them.” 

“ Oh ! yes, and them want some more pigs ! Want me to 
be leathered again? ” 

Robin said “ No,” but he felt all the time that he should 
like to see the young tyrant flogged and forced to return the 
folded up doublet; and he thought sadly of his spoiled and 
lost cap. 


CHAPTER III 


N OW then, don’t you be long,” cried the young swineherd, 
and he raised his stick threateningly, and made an- 
other thrust at Robin, which was avoided; and feeling des- 
perate now as well as hungry, feeling too, that it would be 
better to fall into any other hands, the little fellow ran on, fol- 
lowing a faint track in and out among the trees, till he came 
suddenly into an opening, face to face with a group of fifty or 
sixty people busily engaged around a heap beneath a spreading 
beech tree. 

Robin’s first act was to stand and stare, for the heap 
consisted of bales similar to those with which he had seen 
the mules laden a couple of days back, and tied up to- 
gether a few yards away were the very mules, while the 
little crowd of men who were busy bore a very strong 
resemblance to those by whom the attack was made on the 
previous day. 

Robin knew nothing in those days about the old proverb 
of jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire, but he felt 
something of the kind as he found himself face to face with 
the marauders who had seized upon the bales of cloth and put 
his aunt’s servants to flight, and without a moment’s hesitation 
he turned and began to hurry back, but ran into the arms of a 
huge fellow who caught him up as if he had been a baby. 

“ Hullo, giant ! ” cried the big man,“ who are you ? ” And 


20 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


21 


the party of men with him, armed with long bows and arrows, 
began to laugh merrily. 

“ Let me go — let me go ! cried the boy, struggling angrily. 
“ Steady, steady, my little Cock Robin,” said the man, in 
his big bluff way; “ don't fight, or you'll ruffle your feathers.” 
The boy ceased struggling directly. 

“ How did you know my name was Robin? ” he said. 

“ Guessed it, little one. There, I shan’t hurt you. Where 
do you come from ? ” 

‘‘ Ellton,” said the boy. 

“ But what are you doing here in the forest? ” 

“ You came and fought David, and frightened him and the 
men away, and those are our mules and the cloth. “ 

Robin stopped short, for the big man broke out into a 



loud whistle, and then 
laughed. 

“Oh, that’s it, is it?” 
he said; “ and so your name’s 
Robin, is it? ” 

The little fellow nodded. 

“ Yes,” he said. “ What’s 
yours ? ” 

“ John,” said the great 
fellow, laughing heartily; 
“ and they call me little be- 
cause I’m so big. What do 
3^ou think of that ? ” 

“ I think it’s very stupid,” 
said the boy. “ I thought 
you must be Robin Hood.” 

“ Then you thought 
wrong. But if you thought 
that this one was you would 


22 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


be right. Here he comes.” The boy looked in wonder at a 
tall man who looked short beside Little John, as he came up 
in coat of green with brown belt, a sword by his side, quiver 
of arrows hung on his back, and longbow in his hand. 

“ What woodland bird have you got here, John? ” he said. 
And the boy saw that he smiled pleasantly and did not look 
fierce or threatening. 

“ A young Robin,” said the big fellow; “ part of yester- 
day’s plunder.” 

“ I want to find my way home,” said the boy. “ Will 
you please show me ? ” 

“ But you did not come here into the forest in shirt and 
hose, did you, my little man? ” said the great outlaw. 

“ No; someone took my cap and doublet away, sir.” 

Robin Hood frowned. 

“ Who was it? ” he cried angrily. “ Find out, John, and 
he shall have a bowstring about his back. Point out the man 
who stripped you, my little lad,” he continued, turning to 
the boy. 

“ It wasn’t a man,” said the little fellow, “ but a boy who 
minds pigs.” 

“ What, a young swineherd ! ” cried the outlaw, laughing. 
“ Why did you let him? Why didn’t you fight for your clothes 
like a man? ” 

“ I did,” said young Robin stoutly; “but he was so big, 
he knocked me down and sat upon me.” 

“ Oh ! that makes all the difference. How big was he — 
big as this man? ” 

Young Robin glanced at the giant who had caught him, 
and shook his head. 

“ No,” he said; “not half so big as he is. But he was 
stronger than I am.” 

“ So I suppose. Well, bring him along. Little John, and 






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Robin ran into tlie arms of a huge fellow, who 
caught him up as if he had been a baby. 




24 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


let’s see if the women can find him some clothes and a cap. 
You would like something more to wear, wouldn’t you ? ” 

“ I should like something to eat,” said the boy sadly. “ I 
have not had anything since breakfast.” 

“ That’s not so very long,” said Robin Hood. “ We have 
not had anything since breakfast.” 

‘‘ But I mean since breakfast yesterday,” said young Robin 
pietously. 

“ What ! ” cried Little John. “ Why, thepoor boy’s starved. 
But we can soon mend that. Come here ! ” 

Young Robin’s first movement was to shrink from the big 
fellow, but he smiled down in such a bluff, amiable way that 
the boy gave him his hands, and in an instant he was swung 
up and sitting six feet in the air upon the great fellow’s 
shoulder, and then rode off to an open-fronted shed-like place 
thatched with reeds, Robin Hood, with his bow over his shoul- 
der, walking by the side. 

“ Here, Marian,” cried the outlaw, and young Robin’s 
heart gave a throb and he made a movement to get down to 
go to the sweet-faced woman who came hurriedly out, wide- 
eyed and wondering, in her green kirtle, her long soft naturally 
curling hair rippling down her back, but confined round her 
brow by a plain silver band in which a few woodland flowers 
were placed. 

“Oh! Robin,” she cried, flushing with pleasure; “who 
is this?” 

“ It is some one for you to take care of,” said the outlaw, 
who smiled at the bright look in the girl’s face. “ He is both 
hungry and tired, and his people ran away and left him dlone 
in the forest.” 

“ Oh, my dear! ” she cried, as Little John lightly jumped 
the boy down at her feet. “ Come along.” 

Young Robin put his hand in hers and gave her a look 



YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 25 

full of trust and confidence, before turning to the two men, 
for all his troubles seemed over now. 

“Thank you for bringing me here,” he said; “but are 
you bold Robin Hood and Little John, of whom I’ve heard 
my father talk ? ” 


“ I daresay we are the men he has talked about,” said 
the outlaw smiling; “but who is your father, and what did 
he say? ” 

“ My father is the Sheriff of Nottingham,” said the boy, 


26 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


“ and he said that he was going to catch you and your men 
some day, for you were very wicked and bad. But he did 
not know how good and kind you are, and I shall tell him 
when you send me home.” 

The two men exchanged glances with Maid Marian. 

“We shall see,” said the outlaw; “but you are nearly 
starved, aren’t you ? ” 

“ Yes, very, very hungry,” said the boy, looking piteously 
at his new protector, whose hand he held. 

“ Hungry? ” she cried. 

“ Yes, he has had nothing since yesterday morning; but 
you can cure that.” 

“ Oh, my dear, my dear ! ” cried the woman. And she 
hurried young Robin beneath the shelter, and in a very short 
time he was smiling up in her face in his thankfulness, for she 
had placed before him a bowl of sweet new milk and some 
of the nicest bread he had ever tasted. 

As he ate hungrily he had to answer Maid Marian’s 
questions about who he was and how he came there, which 
he did readily, and it did not strike him as being very dread- 
ful that the mules and their loads had been seized, for old 
David had been very cross and severe with him for getting 
tired, and these people in the forest were most kind. 


CHAPTER IV 


I T was a very strange life for a boy who had been accus- 
tomed to every comfort, but young Robin enjoyed it, for 
everything seemed to be so new and fresh, and the men treated 
him as if he had come to them for the purpose of being made 
into a pet. 

They were, of course, fierce outlaws and robbers, ready 
to turn their bows and swords against anyone; but the poor 
people who lived in and about the forest liked and helped them, 
for Robin Hood’s men never did them harm, while as to young 
Robin, they were all eager to take him out with them and 
show him the wonders of the forest. 

On the second day after his arrival in the camp, the boy 
asked when he was to be shown the way home, and he asked 
again on the third day, but only to be told each time that he 
should go soon. 

On the fourth day he forgot to ask, for he was busy with 
big Little John, who smiled with satisfaction when young 
Robin chose to stay with him instead of going with some of 
the men into the forest after a deer. 

Young Robin forgot to ask when he was to be shown 
the way home, because Little John had promised to make him 
a bow and arrows and to teach him how to use them. The 
great tall outlaw kept his word too, and long before evening 


27 


28 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


he hung a cap upon a broken bough of an oak tree and set 
young Robin to work about twenty yards away shooting arrows 
at the mark. 

“ You’ve got to hit that every time you shoot,” said Little 
John; “ and when you can do that at twenty yards you have 
got to do it at forty. Now begin.” 

For the bow was ready and made of a piece of yew, and 
half a dozen arrows had been finished. 

“ Think you can hit it? ” said Little John, after showing 
the boy how to string his bow and fit the notch of the arrow 
to the string. 

“ Oh ! yes,” said Robin confidently. 

“ That’s right! then you will soon be able to kill a deer.” 

“ But I don’t want to kill a deer,” said the boy. “ I want 
to see some, but I shouldn’t like to kill one.” 

” Wait till you’re hungry, my fine fellow,” said Little John, 
laughing. “ But my word! you look fine this morning; just 
like one of us. Did Maid Marian make you that green jerkin ? ” 

“Yes,” said the boy. 

“ That’s right; so’s your cap and feather. But now then, 
try if you can hit the cap. Draw the arrow right to the head 
before you let it go. My word, what funny little fumbling 
fingers yours are ! ” 

“ Are they ? ” cried Robin, who thought that his teacher’s 
hands were the biggest he had ever seen. 

“ Like babies’ fingers,” said Little John, smiling down at 
the boy as if very much amused. “ Now then, draw right to 
the head.” 

“ I can’t,” said the boy; “ it’s so hard.” 

“ That’s because you are not used to it, little one. Try 
again. Hold tight, and pull hard. Steadily. That’s the way. 
Now loose it and let it go.” 

Young Robin did as he was told, and away went the 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


29 


arrow down between the trees, to fall with its feathered wings 
just showing above the fallen leaves. 

“ That didn’t hit the cap,” said Little John. “ Never 
went near.” 

Young Robin shook his head. 

“ Did you look at the cap when you loosed the arrow? ” 

“No,” said Robin; “ I shut my eyes.” 

“Try again then, and keep them open.” 

Robin tried and tried again till he had sent off all six of 
his shafts, and then he stood and looked up at Little John, 
and Little John looked down at him. 

“ You couldn’t kill a deer for dinner to-day,” said the big 
fellow. 

“ No,” said young Robin; “ it’s so hard. Could you have 
hit it?” 

“ I think I could if I stood ten times as far away,” said 
the great fellow quietly. 

“ Oh, do try, please,” cried Robin. 

“Very well; only let’s pick up your arrows first, or we 
may lose some of them. Always pick up your arrows while 
they are fresh — I mean, while you can remember where 
they are.” 

The shafts were picked up, mostly by Little John, whose 
eyes were very sharp at seeing where the little arrows lay; 
and then they walked back, and Robin had to run by his big 
companion’s side, for he began to stride away, counting as he 
went, till he had taken two hundred steps from the tree all 
along one of the alleys of the forest, when he stopped short. 

“Now then, my little bowman,” he said; “think I can 
hit the mark now? ” 

“ No,” said Robin decisively; “ we’re too far away. I can 
hardly see the cap.” 

“ Well, let’s try,” said Little John, stringing his bow, and 


30 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


then carefully selecting an arrow from the quiver at his back. 
This arrow he drew two or three times through his hand so 
as to smooth the feathering and make the web lie straight, 
before fitting the notch to the string. 

“ So you think it’s too far? ” said Little John. 

“Yes, ever so much.” 

“ Ah, well, we’ll try,” said the big fellow coolly. “ Where- 
about shall I hit the cap — in the middle? ” 

“ No,” said Robin; “ just at the top of the brim.” 

“ Very well,” said the big fellow, standing up very straight 
and rather sidewise, as he held his bow at his left arm’s length, 
slowly drew the arrow to the head, and then as Robin gazed 
in the direction of the indistinctly seen hat hanging on the 
tree-trunk — 

Twang! 

The arrow had been loosed, and the bow had given forth 
a strange deep musical sound. 

Robin looked sharply at Little John, and the big outlaw 
looked down at him. 

“Where did that arrow go?” said the boy. 

“ Let’s see,” said Little John. 

“ I don’t think we shall ever find it again,” continued 
Robin. 

They walked back, the outlaw very slowly, and Robin 
quite fast so as to keep up with him. 

“ Perhaps not,” said Little John, “ but I don’t often lose 
my arrows.” 

“ This one has gone right through the ferns,” thought 
Robin, and he fe'lt glad with the thought of the big fellow 
having missed the mark, but as they walked nearer, he kept 
his eyes fixed upon the great trunk dimly seen in the shade, 
being tripped up twice by the bracken fronds; but he saved 
himself from a fall and watched the tree trunk still, while the 



'• Ah ! well, we’ll try,” said Little John. 
“ Whereabouts shall I hit the cap? ” 



32 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


hat hanging on the old bough grew plainer, just as it had 
been before. 

They had walked back nearly three parts of the way when 
Robin suddenly saw something which made him start, for 
there was a tiny bit of something white above something dark, 
and those marks were not on the brim of the hat before. 

The next minute Robin’s eyes began to open wider, for 
he knew that he was looking at the feathered end of the arrow, 
pointing straight at him; and directly after, as he stepped a 
little on one side to avoid an ant-hill, he could see the whole 
of the arrow except the point, which had passed through the 
brim of the hat. 

“ Why, you hit it ! ” he cried excitedly. 

“ Well, that’s what I tried to do,” said Little John. 

“ But you hit it just in the place I said.” 

“ Yes, you told me to,” said Little John, smiling. “ That’s 
how you must learn to shoot when you grow up to be a man.” 

Young Robin said nothing, but stood rubbing one ear very 
gently, and staring at the hat. 

“ Well,” said Little John, smiling down at his companion, 
“ what are you thinking about ? ” 

“ I was thinking that it is very wonderful for you to stand 
so far off and shoot like that.” 

“Were you, now?” said Little John. “Well, it is not 
wonderful at all. If you keep on trying for years you will 
be able to do it quite as well. I’ll teach you. Shall I ? ” 

“I should like you to,” said Robin, shaking his head; 
“ but I can’t stop here. I must go home to my father.” 

“ Oh! must you? ” said Little John. “ Go home to your 
father and mother, eh ? ” 

Robin shook his head. 

“ No,” he said; “ my mother’s dead, and I live sometimes 
with father and sometimes with aunt. I am going home to 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


33 


father now, as soon as you show me the way. When are you 
going to show me ? ” 

Little John screwed up his face till it was full of wrinkles. 

“ Ah,” he said, “ I don’t know. You must ask the captain.” 

“ Who is the captain ? ” said the boy. 

“ Eh ? Why, Robin Hood, of course. But I wouldn’t ask 
him just yet.” 

‘‘Why not?” 

“ Eh? Why not? Because it might be awkward. You 
see, it’s a long way, and you couldn’t go by yourself.” 

“ Well, you could show me,” said young Robin. “ You 
would, wouldn’t you?” 

“ I would if I could,” said Little John; “ but I’m afraid I 
couldn’t.” 

“ Oh! you could. I’m sure,” said young Robin. “ You’re 
so big.” 

“Oh! yes. I’m big enough,” said Little John, laughing; 
“ but if I were to take you home your father would not let 
me come back again; and besides, the captain would not let 
me go for fear that I should be killed.” 

“Killed?” said the boy, staring at his big companion. 
“ Why, who would kill you ? ” 

“ Your father, perhaps.” 

“ What, for being kind to me ? ” 

“ I can’t explain all these things to you, mite. Here’s 
someone coming. Let’s ask him. Hi! Captain! Young squire 
wants me to take him home.” 

Robin Hood, who had just caught sight of the pair and 
come up, smiled and shook his head. 

“ Not yet, little one,” he said. “ I can’t spare big Little 
John. Why, aren’t you happy here in the merry greenwood 
under the trees? I thought you liked us.” 

“ So I do,” said young Robin, “ and I should like to stay 


34 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


ever so long and watch the deer and the birds, and learn to 
shoot with my bow and arrows.” 

“ That’s right. Well said, little one,” cried Robin Hood, 
patting the boy on the head. 

“ But I’m afraid that my father will be very cross if I 
don’t try to go home.” 

“ Then try and make yourself happy, my boy,” said Robin 
Hood, for you have tried hard to go home, and you cannot go.” 

“ Why? ” said young Robin. 

“ For a dozen reasons,” said the outlaw, smiling. “ Here 
are some: you could not find your way; you would starve 
to death in the forest; you might meet people who would 
behave worse to you than the young swineherd, or encounter 
wild beasts; then, biggest reason of all: I will not let you go.” 

Young Robin was silent for a moment or two, and then 
he said quickly: 

“ You might tell Little John to take me home. My father 
would be so glad to see him.” 

Robin Hood and the big fellow just named looked at one 
another and laughed. 

“ Yes,” said Robin Hood, patting the boy on the shoulder, 
now that’s just it. Your father, the Sheriff, would be so glad 
to see Little John that he would keep him altogether; and I 
can’t spare him.” 

“ I don’t think my father would be so unkind,” said 
Robin. 

“ But I am sure he would, little man,” said the outlaw. 
He’d be so glad to get him that he would spoil him. Eh, 
John? What do you think? ” 

“ Ay, that he would,” said Little John, shaking his head. 
“ He’d be sure to spoil me. He’d cut me shorter, perhaps, or 
else hang me up for an ornament. No, my little man, I 
couldn’t take you home.” 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


35 


“ There/' said the outlaw, smiling; “ you must wait, my 
boy. Try and be contented as you are. Maid Marian’s very 
kind to you, is she not ? ” 



‘‘ Oh ! yes,” cried the boy, with his face lighting up, “ and 
that’s why I don’t want to go.” 

“ Hullo ! ” growled Little John. “ Why, you said just now 
that you did want to go ! ” 


3 ^ 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


“ Did I ? ” said the boy thoughtfully. 

To be sure you did. What do you mean.” 

“ I mean,” said the boy, looking wistfully from one to 
the other, “ that I feel as if I ought to go home, but I think 
I should like to stay.” 

“ Hurrah ! ” cried Little John, taking of¥ and waving his 
hat. “ Hear that, captain? You’ve got another to add to your 
merry men. Young Robin and I make a capital pair. Come 
along, youngster, and let’s practise shooting at the mark, and 
then we’ll make enough arrows to fill your quiver.” 

Five minutes later young Robin was standing as he had 
been placed by his big companion, who sat down and watched 
him while he sturdily drew the notch of his arrow right to 
his ear, and then loosed the whizzing shaft to go flying away 
through the woodland shade, while Little John shouted as 
gleefully as some big boy. 

“ Hurrah ! Well done^ little one ! There it is, sticking in 
yonder tree.” 


CHAPTER V 


A S far as you like, Robin,” said the outlaw, “ only you 
must be wise. Don’t go far enough to lose your way. 
Learn the forest by degrees. Some day you will not be able 
to lose yourself.” 

‘‘But suppose I did lose myself,” said the boy; “what 
then?” 

“ I should have to tell Little John to bring all my 
merry men to look for you, and Maid Marian here would 
sit at home and cry till you were found.” 

“ Then I will not lose myself,” said Robin. And he always 
remembered his promise when he took his bow and arrows 
and, with his sword hanging from his belt, went away from 
the outlaws’ camp for a long ramble. 

His bow was just as high as he was himself, that being 
the rule in archery, and his arrows, beautifully made by Little 
John, were just half the length of his bow. 

As to his sword, that was a dagger in a green shark- 
skin sheath given to him by Robin Hood, who said rightly 
enough that it was quite big enough for him. 

Maid Marian found a suitable buckle for the belt, one 
which Little John cut out of a very soft piece of deer-skin, 
the same skin forming the cross-belt which went over the 
boy’s shoulder and supported his horn. 

For he was supplied with a horn as well, this being 
37 


38 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


necessary in the forest, and Robin Hood himself taught him 
in the evenings how to blow the calls by fitting his lips 
to the mouthpiece and altering the tone by placing his hand 
inside the silver rim which formed the mouth. 

It was not easy, but the little fellow soon learned. All 
the same, though, he made some strange sounds at first, 
bad enough. Little John declared, to give one of Maid 
Marian’s cows the tooth-ache, and frighten the herds of deer 
farther and farther away. 

That was only at the first, for young Robin very soon 
became quite a woodman, learning fast to sound his horn, 
to shoot and hit his mark, and to find his way through 
the great wilderness of open moorland and shady trees. 

But it was more than once that he lost his way, for the 
trees and beaten tracks were so much alike and all was so 
beautiful that it was easy to wander on and forget all about 
finding the way back through the sun-dappled shades. 

And so it happened that one morning when the outlaw 
band had gone off hunting, to bring back a couple of fat 
deer for Robin Hood’s larder, young Robin started by 
himself, bow in hand, down one of the lovely beech glades, 
and had soon gone farther than he had been before. 

The squirrels dropped the beech mast and dashed away 
through the trees, to chop and scold at him; the rabbits 
started from out of the ferns and raced away fast, showing 
the under part of their white cotton tails, before they plunged 
into their shady burrows; and twice over, as the boy softly 
passed out of the shade into some sunny opening, he came 
upon little groups of deer — beautiful large-eyed thin-legged 
does, with their fawns — grazing peacefully on the soft grass 
which grew in patches between the tufts of golden prickly 
furze, for they were safe enough, the huntsmen being gone 
in search of the lordly bucks, with their tall flattened horns 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


39 



if they were fallow deer, small, round, and sharply pointed 
if they were roes. 

There was always something fresh to see, and he who 


40 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


went slowly and softly through the forest saw most. At such 
times as this young Robin would stop short to watch the 
grazing deer and fawns with their softly dappled hides, till all 
at once a pair of sharp blue eyes would spy him out, and 
the jay who owned those eyes would set up his soft speckled 
crest, show his fierce black moustachios, and shout an alarm 
again in a harsh voice — “ Here’s a boy! here’s a boy! ” and 
the does would leave off eating, throw up their heads, and 
away the little herd would go, nip — nip — nip, in a series of 
bounds, just as if their thin legs were so many springs, their 
black hoofs coming down close together and just touching the 
short elastic grass, which seemed to send them off again. 

I wish they wouldn’t be afraid of me,” young Robin 
said. ” I shouldn’t hurt them.” 

But the does and fawns did not know that, for as Robin 
said this he was fitting an arrow to his bow-string, and 
threatening to send it flying after the shrieking jay which 
had given the alarm. He forgot, too, that he had eaten 
heartily of delicious roasted fawn only a few days before. 

As he wandered on through glades where the sun seemed 
to send rays of glowing silver down through the oak or 
beech leaves as if to fill the golden cups which grew beneath 
them among the soft green moss, he would come out sud- 
denly perhaps on one of the sunny forest pools, perhaps where 
the water was half covered with broad flat leaves, among 
which were silver blossoms, in other places golden, with 
arrow weed at the sides, along with whispering reeds and 
sword-shaped iris plants. There beneath the floating leaves 
great golden-sided carp and tench floated, and sometimes a fierce- 
eyed green-splashed pike, while over all flitted and darted 
upon gauzy wings beautiful dragon-flies, chasing the tiny gnats 
— blue, brown, golden, and golden-green — and now and then 
encountering and making their wings rustle as they touched 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


41 


in rapid flight. Then as he stood with his hand resting 
against a tree trunk, peering forward, a curious little head 
with bright crimson eyes divided the sedge or reeds growing 
in the water, its owner looking out to see if there was 
any danger; and as it looked, Robin could see that the 
bird’s beak seemed to be continued right up into a flat red 
plate between its eyes. 

Then it came sailing out, swimming by means of its 
long thin legs and toes, coming right into the opening, 
looking of a dark shiny brownish green, all but its stunted 
tail, the under part of which was pure white, with a black 
band across. 

Little John told him afterwards that it was a moor-hen, 
even if it was a cock bird. It was not this which took 
so much of Robin’s attention, but the seven or eight little 
dark balls which followed it out along one of the lanes of 
open water, swimming here and there and making dabs with 
their little beaks at the insects gliding about the top. 

It was so quiet and seemed so safe that directly after 
the reeds parted again and another bird swam out from 
among the sheltering reeds. Robin knew this directly as a 
drake, but he had never before seen one with such a glori- 
ously green head, rich chestnut-colored breast, soft gray 
back, or glistening metallic purple wing spots. 

Robin could have sent a sharp-pointed arrow at this 
beautiful bird, and perhaps have killed it, for he knew well 
that roast duck or drake is very nice stuffed with sage and 
onions, and with green peas to eat therewith ; but he 
never thought of using his bow, and he was content to feast 
his eyes upon the bird’s beauty and watch its motions. 

The drake took no notice of the moor-hen and her dusky 
dabs, but swam right out in the middle, seemed to stand 
up on the water, stretching out his neck and flapping his 


42 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


wings so sharply that something right on the other side 
moved suddenly, and Robin saw that there was another bird 
which he had not seen before — a long-necked, long-legged, 
loose-feathered gray creature with sharp eyes and a thin 
beak, standing in the water and staring eagerly at the drake 
as much as to say : 

“What’s the matter there?” while he uttered aloud the 
one enquiring cry — 

“ Quaik?” 

“ Wirk — wirk — wirk ! ” said the drake. 

“ Quack, quack, quack, quack ! ” came from out of the 
reeds, and a brown duck came sailing out, followed by ten little 
yellow balls of down with flat beaks, swimming like their 
mother, but in a hurried pop-and-go-one fashion, in and out, 
and round and round, and seeming to go through country 
dances on the water in chase of water beetles and running 
spiders or flies, while the duck kept on uttering a warning 
quack, and the drake, who, first with one eye and then with 
the other, kept a sharp look up in the sky for falcons and 
hawks, now and then muttered out a satisfied “ Wirk — wirk 
—wirk! ” 

Robin was just thinking how beautiful it all was, when 
the danger for which the drake was watching in the sky 
suddenly came from the water beneath. 

One of the downy yellow dabs had swum two yards 
away from the others and his mother, after a daddy long- 
legs which had flown down on to the surface of the water, 
and had opened its little flat beak to seize it, when there 
was a whirl in the water, a rush and splash, and two great 
jaws armed with sharp teeth closed over the duckling, which 
was visible one moment, gone the next, and Robin drew an 
arrow out to fit to his bow-string. 

But he was too late to send it whizzing at the great 



Robin stood with his hand resting 
against a tree trunk. 



44 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


pike, which had given a whisk with its tail and gone off 
to some lair in the reeds to peacefully swallow the young 
duck, while the rest followed their quacking father and mother 
back to the shelter of the reeds, rushes, and sedge, where 
the moor-hen and her brood were already safe, while, 
startled by the alarm, the heron bent down as it spread 
its great gray wings, sprang up, gave a few flaps and flops, 
and began to sail round above the pool till it grew peaceful 
again, when, stretching out its legs, the heron dropped back 
into the water, stood motionless gazing down with medita- 
tive eyes as if quite satisfied that no fish would touch it, 
and then. Hick! 

It had taken place so rapidly that Robin hardly saw 
the movement, but certainly the heron’s beak was darted 
in amongst the bottoms of the reeds where they grew 
out of the water, and directly afterwards the bird straight- 
ened itself again, to stand up with a kicking green frog in 
its scissor-shaped beak. 

Then there was a jerk or two, which altered the frog’s 
position, and the beak from being only a little way open 
was shut quite close, and a knob appeared in the heron’s 
long neck, went slowly lower and lower, and then dis- 
appeared altogether. 

Then the heron shuffled its wings a little as if to put 
the feathers quite straight, said “ Phenk loudly twice over, 
and shut one eye. 

For the bird had partaken of a satisfactory dinner, and 
was thinking about it, while young Robin sighed and thought 
it seemed very dreadful; but the next moment he was 
watching a streak of blue, which was a kingfisher with a 
tiny silver fish in its beak, and thinking he was beginning 
to feel hungry himself. 

So he left the side of the pool with another sigh, the 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


45 


noise he made sending off the great gray heron, and after 
a little difficulty he found his way back to the outlaws’ 
camp and his own dinner, which, oddly enough, was not 
roast buck or fawn, but roast ducks and a fine baked pike, 
cooked in an earthen oven, with plenty of stuffing. 

Then, being hungry, young Robin partook of his own 
meal, and forgot all about what he had seen. 



CHAPTER VI 


I T was all very wonderful to young Robin when he saw 
Little John or one of the other men let fly an arrow with a 
twang of the bow-string and a sharp whizz of the wings 
through the air, to quiver in a mark eighty or a hundred yards 
away, or to pierce some flying wild goose or duck passing in a 
flock high in air ; but by degrees that which had seemed so mar- 
vellous soon ceased to astonish him, and at last looked quite 
easy. 

For Robin was delighted with his bow and arrows as 
soon as he found that he could send one of the light-winged 
shafts whistling in a beautiful curve to stick in some big tree. 

Then he began shooting at smaller trees, and then at 
saplings when he could hit the small trees. But the sap- 
lings were, of course, much more difficult. One day though, 
he went back to Little John in triumph to tell him that 
he had shot at a young oak about as thick as his wrist. 

‘‘ But you didn’t hit it ? ” said the big fellow, smiling. 

“ I just scratched one side of it though,” cried the boy. 
‘‘Did you now? Well done! You keep on trying, and 
you’ll beat me some day.” 

“ I don’t think I shall,” said Robin, shaking his head 
thoughtfully. 


46 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


47 


“ Oh ! but you will if you keep on trying. A lad who 
tries hard can do nearly anything.” 

“ Can he ? ” said Robin. 

“To be sure he can; so you try, and when you can 
hit anything you shoot at you’ll be half a man. And when 
you’ve done growing you’ll be one quite.” 

“ Shall I ever be as big as you? ” asked Robin. 

“ I hope not,” said Little John, laughing. “ I’m too big.” 

“Are you?” said Robin. “I should like to be as big 
as you.” 

“ No, no, don’t,” cried Little John. “ You go on growing 
till you’re a six-footer, and then you stop. All that grows 
after that’s waste o’ good stuff, and gets in your way. Big 
uns like me are always knocking their heads against some- 
thing.” 

“ But how am I to know when I’m six feet high? ” said 
Robin. 

“ Oh ! I’ll tell you. I’ll keep measuring you, my lad.” 

“ And how am I to stop growing? ” 

Little John took off his cap and scratched his head, as 
he wrinkled up his big, good-humored face. 

“Well, I don’t quite know,” he said; “but there’s 
plenty o’ time yet, and we shall see. Might put a big stone 
in your hat; or keep you in a very dry place; or tie your 
shoulders down to your waist — no, that wouldn’t do.” 

“ Why? ” said Robin promptly. 

“ Because it wouldn’t stop your legs growing, and it’s 
hoys’ legs that grow the most when they’re young. I say, 
though, what’s become of all those arrows I made you ? ” 

“ Shot them away.” 

“ And only two left. You mustn’t waste arrows like 
that. Why didn’t you look for them after you shot? ” 

“ I did,” cried Robin, “ but they will hide themselves 


48 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


SO. They creep right under the grass and among the weeds 
so that you can't find them again. But you’ll make me 
some more, won’t you? ” 

“ Well,” said Little John, “ I suppose I must; but you 
will have to be. more careful, young un. I can’t spend all 
my time making new arrows for you. But there, I want 
you to shoot so that the captain will be proud of you, 
and some day you’ll have to shoot a deer.” 

‘‘ I don’t think I should like to shoot a deer,” said the 
boy, shaking his head. 

“ Why not? ” They’re good to eat.” 

“ They look so nice and kind, with their big soft eyes.” 

“ Well, a man then.” 

“ Oh, no ! I shouldn’t like to shoot a man.” 

“ What not one of the captain’s enemies who had come 
to kill him? ” 

“ I don’t think I should mind so much then. Look here. 
Little John, I’d shoot an arrow into his back, to prick him 
and make him run away.” 

“ And so you shall, my lad,” cried Little John, and he 
set to work directly to cut some wood for arrows to re- 
fill the boy’s quiver; and when those were lost, lie made 
some more, for young Robin was always shooting and losing 
them; but Little John said it did not matter, for he was 
going to be a famous marksman, and the big fellow looked 
as proud of his pupil as could be. 

But Little John did not stop at teaching young Robin 
to shoot, for one day the boy found him smoothing and 
scraping a nice new piece of ash as thick as his little finger, 
which was not little at all. 

“ You don’t know what this is for,” said the big fellow. 

“ It looks like a little quarter-staff,” said young Rol)in, 
like all the men have.” 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


49 


“ Well done. Guessed it first time. Now guess who it 
is for? ” 

‘‘ Me,” said the boy promptly. And so it was, and what 
was more. Little John, in the days which followed, taught 
him how to handle it so as to give blows and guard him- 
self, till the little fellow became as clever and active as 
could be, making the men roar with laughter when in a 
bout he managed to strike so quickly that his staff struck 
leg or arm before his opponent could guard. 

“ Why, you’re getting quite a forester, Robin,” said the 
captain, smiling, ‘‘ and what with your skill with bow and 
quarter-staff you’ll soon be able to hold your own.” 

Robin Hood’s words were put to the proof in autumn, 
for one day when the acorns had swollen to such a size 
that they could no longer sit in their cups, and came rat- 
tling down from the sunny side of the great oak-trees, young 
Robin was having a glorious ramble. He had filled his 



satchel with brown hazel nuts, 
had a good feast of blackberries, 
and stained his fingers. He had 
had a long talk to a tame fawn 
which knew him and came 
when he whistled, and tempted 
a couple of squirrels down with 
some very brown nuts, laying 
them upon the bark of a fallen 


tree, and then drawing- 
back a few yards, 
with the result that 
the bushy-tailed little 
animals crept softly 
down, nearer and nearer, 
ending by making a 


50 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


rush, seizing the nuts, and darting back to the security of 
a high branch of a tree. 

“ I shouldn’t hurt you,” said Robin, as he stood leaning 
upon his little quarter-staff, watching them nibble away the 
ends of the nuts to get at the sweet kernel. “If I wanted 
to I could unsling my bow, string it, and bring you down 
with an arrow; but I don’t want to. Why can’t you both 
be as tame as my fawn ? ” 

The squirrels made no answer, but went on nibbling 
the nuts, and suddenly darted up higher in the tree, while 
Robin grew so much interested in the movements of the 
active little creatures that he heard no sound behind him, 
nor did he awaken to the fact that he was being stalked 
by some one creeping bare-footed from tree to tree to get 
within springing distance, till all at once he felt the whole 
weight of something alighting on his back and driving him 
forward so that he dropped his quarter-staff and came down 
on hands and knees. 

“ Got yer, have I, at last ? ” cried a familiar voice, as 
he felt his ribs nipped, his assailant having seated himself 
on his back. “ Didn’t I tell yer I’d wait, and you was to 
bring me back a lot to eat ? ” 

Young Robin waited for no more, but in his agony of 
spirit he gave himself a wrench sidewise, dislodging his rider, 
and made an effort to struggle up again. 

But his old enemy held fast, and after a sharp struggle 
Robin stood panting, face to face with the young swineherd, 
who had him tightly by the doublet with both hands. 

“ You let go,” cried young Robin fiercely. “ You’ll tear 
my coat.” 

“ I means to tear it right off dreckly,” said the boy, 
grinning. “ I want a noo un again, and it’ll just do. I’m 
a-going to have them bow and arrows too, and the knife 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


51 


and cap. I’ll let you see! Going and hiding away all this 
time, when I told yer to come back ! ” 

“ You let me go,” panted Robin, looking vainly round 
for help. 

“ Nay, there aren’t no one a-nigh, and I’ve got yer fast. 
Why didn’t yer come back as I told you? ” 

“ I didn’t want to,” said Robin angrily. “ You let me 
go. I’ll call Little John to you.” 

“ Call him, and I’ll knock his ugly old eye out,” cried 
the boy. I don’t care for no Little Johns. I’ve got you 
now, and I’m going to pay you for not coming back before. 
And I know,” he snarled, “you’re a thief; that’s what 
you are.” 

“ I’m not,” cried Robin fiercely, and he made a desper- 
ate struggle to get away to where his little quarter-staff 
lay half hidden amongst the bracken. “ You let me go.” 
But his efforts to get free were vain. 

“ Yes, I’ll let you go, p’raps, when I’ve done with you 
and got all I wants,” said the boy, in a husky, satisfied 
tone, as he seemed to gloat over his victim. “ No, I won't; 
you’re a thief, and a deer-stealer, and I shall just take yer 
to one of the King’s keepers.” 

Young Robin set his teeth and made another struggle, 
but quite in vain, for he was no match in strength for his 
adversary. 

“ What ! Hold still ! Wo ho, kicker ! Quiet, will yer I ” 
snarled the boy. “ If yer don’t leave off I’ll drag yer through 
all the worst brambles and pitch yer to my tigs. D’yer 
hear ? ” he shouted. 

Robin paused breathlessly, and stood gazing wildly at 
his enemy. 

“ Yer thought I was giving yer up, did yer, but I 
wasn’t. I’ve been watching for yer ever since yer run away. 


52 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


1 knowed I should ketch yer some day. Errrr! yer young 
thief ! ” 

He tightened his grip of Robin’s shoulders, grinned at 
him like an angry dog, and gave him a fierce shake, while 
his victim breathed hard as he pressed his teeth together, 
and there was the look in his eyes as if he were some 
newly captured wild creature seeking a way to escape. 

“ Kerm along,” snarled the young swineherd. “ I dropped 
my staff just back here, and as soon as I gets it. I’m going 
to stand over yer while yer strips off all them things; and 
if yer tries to get away I’ll break yer legs, and yer can’t 
run then.” 

Robin drew a breath which sounded like a deep sigh, 
and ceased his struggling, letting his enemy force him to 
walk backward among the bracken and nearly fall again and 
again, till all at once the savage young lout shouted : 
“ Ah, here it is ! ” and loosening one hand, he was in the 
act of stooping to pick up the staff he had dropped in 
leaping upon his victim, who now made a bound which 
sent the boy face downward on to his staff, while Robin 
dashed off to where his own quarter-staff lay among the 
bracken — a spot he had glanced at again and again. 

He seized it in an instant, and was about to bound away 
among the trees, but his enemy had recovered himself, and 
staff in hand, came after him at so terrible a rate that Robin 
only avoided a swishing blow at his legs by dodging round a 
tree, which received the stroke. 

The next moment Robin faced round in the open beyond 
the tree, and stood on guard as he had been taught. 

“Ah, would yer?” snarled the young swineherd; “take 
that then.” 

Whisk went the staff and then crack as it was received 
by Robin across his own, and then, profiting by Little John’s 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


53 



lessons, he brought his own over from the left and delivered 
a sounding blow on his assailant’s head. 

The swineherd uttered a savage yell as he staggered 
back, but came fiercely on again, striking with all his might, 
but so wildly that Robin easily avoided the blow, and 
brought his own staff down whack, crash, on his enemy’s 
shoulders, producing a couple more yells of pain. From that 
moment Robin had it all his own way, for he easily guarded 
himself from the swineherd’s fierce strokes and retorted with 
swinging blows on first one arm, then on the other. Then 
he brought his staff down with a blow beside his enemy’s 
left leg, then half behind the right, making him dance and 
limp as he yelled and 
sought in vain to beat 
down his active little 
adversary, who delivered 
a shower of cleverly di- 
rected blows in response 
to the wild swoops given 
with the worst of aim. 

In the heat and ex- 
citement Robin had felt 
no fear. He was on his 
mettle, and fighting for 
liberty, to gain which 
he felt that he must 
effectually beat his 
enemy; and thanks to 
Little John’s lessons he 
thrashed him so well 
that at the end of five 


minutes the young swine- 
herd received a final 


54 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


Stroke across the knuckles which made him shriek, drop his 
staff, and turn to run down a long straight avenue in the 
forest where the ground was open. 

Robin in his excitement began to run after him to 
continue the beating, but the swineherd went too fast, and 
on the impulse of the moment the victor stopped short, 
dropping his own staff and unslinging his bow from where 
it hung. In less time than it takes to tell the bow was 
strung and an arrow fitted, drawn to the head, and with 
a twang it was loosed after the flying lad, now a hundred 
yards away; but as soon as it was shot Robin repented. 

“ It’ll kill him,” he thought, and his heart seemed to 
stand still. 

For the boy’s teacher had taught well, and here was 
the proof. Truly as if a long careful aim had been taken 
the arrow sped many times faster than the swineherd ran, 
and Robin’s eyes dilated as he saw his adversary give a 
sudden spring and fall upon his face, uttering a hideous yell. 

Robin, full of repentance, started off to his enemy’s 
help, but before he had gone many yards the swineherd 
sprang up and began to run faster than ever, while when 
Robin reached the spot there lay his arrow, but the lad 
was gone. 

“ Only pricked him a bit,” said Little John, when he 
heard of the adventure. “ Serve the young wretch right. 
But the quarter-staff. My word, big un, I’d have given 
something to have been there to hear his bones rattle. Well, 
I didn’t teach you for naught. But look here, if you meet 
that fellow in the forest again don’t you wait for him to 
begin; you go at him at once.” 

Robin nodded his head, but he never saw the swineherd 
again. 


CHAPTER VII 

Y oung Robin’s father, the Sheriff, suffered very 
sadly from the loss of his son and his goods, and 
Robin’s aunt came to Nottingham and wept bitterly 
over the loss of the little boy she loved dearly. For David, 
the old servant in whose charge Robin had been placed 
when he was going home, had done what too many weak 
people do, tried to hide one fault by committing another. 

Robin was given into his charge to protect and take 
safely home to his father, and when the attack was made 
by the outlaw’s men, instead of doing anything to protect 
the little fellow and save him from being injured by Robin 
Hood’s people, he thought only of himself. He threw his 
charge into the first bushes he came to, and galloped away, 
hardly stopping till he reached Nottingham town. 

There the first question the Sheriff asked was, not what 
had become of the pack mules and the consignment of cloth, 
but where was Robin, and the false servant said that he 
had fought hard to save him in the fight, but fought in 
vain, and that the poor boy was dead. 

And then months passed and a year had gone by, and 
people looked solemn and said that it seemed as if the 
Sheriff would never hold up his head again. But they thought 
that he should have gathered together a number of fighting 

55 


56 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


men and gone and punished Robin Hood and his outlaws 
for carrying off that valuable set of loads of cloth. 

But Robin’s father cared nothing for the cloth or the 
mules; he could only think of the bright happy little fellow 
whom he loved so well, and whom he wept for in secret 
at night when there was no one n«ar to see. 

Robin’s aunt when she came and tried to comfort him 
used to shake her head and wipe her eyes. She said 
little, only thought a great deal, and she came over again 
and again to try and comfort her dead sister’s husband; but 
it made no difference, for the Sheriff was a sadly altered man. 

Then all at once there was a change, and it was at a 
time when Robin’s aunt was over to Nottingham. 

For one day a man came to the Sheriff’s house and 
wanted him. But the Sheriff would not see him, for he took 
no interest in anything now, and told his servant that the 
man must send word what his business was. 

The servant went out, and came back directly. 

'' He says, sir, that he was taken prisoner by Robin 
Hood’s men a week ago, and that he has just come from 
the camp under the greenwood tree, and has brought you 
news, master.” 

The Sheriff started up, trembling, and told his servant 
to bring the strange man in. 

It was no beaten and wounded ruffian, but a hale and 
hearty fellow, who looked bright and happy, and before he 
could speak and tell his news the Sheriff began to question him. 

“You have come from the outlaws’ camp?” he said 
with his voice trembling. 

“ Yes, Master Sheriff.” 

“ They took you prisoner, and beat and robbed you ? ” 

“ Oh ! no. Master Sheriff ; they took me before Robin 
Hood, and he asked me what I was doing there, and whether 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


57 



I was not afraid to cross his forest, and I up and told him 
plainly that I wasn’t. Then he said how was that when I 
must have heard what a terrible robber he was.” 

“ Yes, yes,” cried the Sheriff, “ and what did you say.” 

“ I said that I had lived about these parts all my life 
and I never heard that he did a poor man any harm. Then 
he laughed, and all his people laughed too, and he said I 
was a merry fellow. ‘ Give him plenty to eat and drink,’ 
he said, ' for two or three days, and then send him on his 
way.’ Yes, Master Sheriff, that he did, and a fine jolly 
time I had. Why, 

I almost felt as 
if I should like to 
stay altogether.” 

And all this 
time the Sheriff was 
watching the man 
very keenly, and 
suddenly he caught 
him by the arm. 

“ Speak out,” 
he said; “you did 
not come to tell me 
only that. What 
is it you are keep- 
ing back ? Why 
don’t you speak? ” 

“Because, 
master,” said the 
man softly, “I was 
afraid you couldn’t 
bear it, for I was 
a father once and 


58 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


my son died, and though you never knew me, I knew you, 
and was sorry when the news came that your little boy 
was killed. Can you bear to hear good news as well as bad ? ” 

The Sheriff was silent for a few minutes, during which 
he closed his eyes and his lips moved, and he looked so 
strange that Robin’s aunt crossed the room to where he 
sat, and took hold of his hand, as she whispered loving words. 

“ Yes, yes,” he said softly, “ I can bear it now. Speak, 
pray speak, and tell me all.” 

“ But you will not be angry with me if I am wrong, 
Master Sheriff?” 

“ No, no,” said Robin’s father; ‘‘ speak out at once.” 

“ Well, Master Sheriff, no one would tell me when I 
asked questions, but there’s a little fellow there, dressed all 
in Lincoln green, like one of Robin Hood’s fighting men, 
with his sword and bugle, and bow and arrows, and some- 
how I began to think, and then I began to ask, whether 
he was Robin Hood’s son; but those I asked only shock 
their heads. 

“ That made me think all the more, and one day I 
managed to follow him out among the trees to where I 
found him feeding one of the wild deer, which followed him 
about like a dog.” 

“ I waited a bit, and then stepped out to him, and what 
do you think he did? He strung his bow, fitted an arrow 
to it before I knew where I was, and drew it to the 
head as if he was going to shoot me. ‘ Do you know where 
Nottingham is?’ I said, and he lowered his bow. ‘Yes,’ he 
said, ‘ of course. Do you know my father ? ’ ‘ Do I know 

the Sheriff ? ’ I said ; ‘ of course.’ ‘ Are you going there soon ? ’ 
he cried, and I nodded. ‘ Then you go to my father,’ he 
cried, ‘ and tell him to tell aunt that I’m quite well, and 
that some day I’m coming home.” 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


59 


The man stopped, for just then the Sheriff closed his 
eyes again and said something very softly, which Robin’s 
aunt heard, and she sank upon her knees and covered her 
face with her hands. 

Then the Sheriff sprang to his feet, looking quite a differ- 
ent man. 

“ Here,” he said to the bringer of the news, and he 
gave him some gold pieces. ‘‘ Could you find your way back 
to the outlaws’ camp in the forest?” 

“ Oh ! yes. Master Sheriff, that I could, though they did 
bind a cloth over my face when they brought me away.” 

“ And you could lead me and a strong body of fighting 
men right to the outlaws’ camp ? ” 

I could. Master Sheriff,” said the man, beginning slowly 
to lay the gold pieces back one by one upon the table; 
“ but I can’t do evil for good.” 

What? ” cried the Sheriff angrily. “ They are robbers 

and outlaws, and every subject of the King has a right to 

slay them.” 

''May be. Master Sheriff,” said the man drily; "but 
I’m not going to fly at the throat of one who did nothing 

but good to me. They tell me that Robin Hood’s a noble 

earl who offended the King, and had to fly for his life. 
What I say is, he’s a noble kind-hearted gentleman, and if 
it was my boy he had there, looking as happy as the day 
is long. I’d go to him without any fighting men.” 

" How, then? ” cried the Sheriff. 

"Just like a father should, master, and ask him for my 
boy like a man.” 

" That will do,” said the Sheriff. " You can go.” 

The man turned to leave the room, when the Sheriff 
said sharply: 

" Stop ! You are leaving the gold pieces I gave you.” 


6o 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


“Yes, I can't take pay to lead anyone to fight against 
Robin Hood and his men.” 

“ Those pieces were for the news you brought me,” said 
the Sheriff. “ Yes, take them, for you have behaved like an 
honest man.” 

But the Sheriff did not take the man’s advice, neither 
did he listen to the appeal of young Robin’s aunt. For, 
as Sheriff of Nottingham, he said to himself that it was his 
duty to destroy or scatter the band of outlaws who had 
lived in Sherwood Forest for so long a time. 

So he gathered a strong body of crossbow-men, and 
others with spears and swords, besides asking for the help 
of two gallant knights who came with their esquires mounted 
and in armour with their men. 

Somehow Robin Hood knew what was being prepared, 
and about a week after, when the Sheriff and his great 
following of about three hundred men were struggling to 
make their way through the forest, they heard the sound 
of a horn, and all at once the thick woodland seemed to 
be alive with archers, who used their bows in such a way 
that first one, then a dozen, then by fifties, the Sheriff’s men 
began to flee, and in less than an hour they were all crawl- 
ing back to Nottingham, badly beaten, not a man among 
them being ready to turn and fight. 

In another month the Sheriff advanced again with a 
stronger force, but they were driven back more easily than 
the first, and the Sheriff was in despair. 

But a couple of days later he had the man to whom 
he had given the gold pieces found, and sent him to the 
outlaws’ camp with a letter written upon parchment, in 
which he ordered Robin Hood, in the King’s name, to give 
up the little prisoner he held there contrary to the law and 
against his own will. 



The Sheriff was watching the man very keenly 
and suddenly caught him by the arm. 



62 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


It was many weary anxious days before the messenger 
came back, but without the little prisoner. 

“ What did he say? ” asked the Sheriff. 

“ He said, master, that if you wanted the boy you must 
go and fetch him.'’’ 

It was the very next day that the Sheriff went into 
the room where young Robin’s aunt was seated, looking very 
unhappy, and she jumped up from her chair wonderingly 
on seeing that her brother-in-law was dressed as if for a 
journey, wearing no sword or dagger, only carrying a long 
stout walking staff. 

“ Where are you going, dear ? ” she said. 

“ Where I ought to have gone at first,” he said humbly; 
into the forest to fetch my boy.” 

“ But you could never find your way,” she said, sobbing. 
Besides, you are the Sheriff, and these men will seize and 
kill you.” 

“ I have someone to show me the way,” said the Sheriff 
gently; “and somehow, though I have persecuted and fought 
against the people sorely, I feel no fear, for Robin Hood 
is not the man to slay a broken-hearted father who comes 
in search of his long-lost boy.” 


CHAPTER VIII 


T he sun was low down in the west, and shining through 
and under the great oak and beech trees, so that every- 
thing seemed to be turned to orange and gold. 

It was the outlaws’ supper time, the sun being their 
clock in the forest; and the men were gathering together to 
enjoy their second great meal of the day, the other being break- 
fast, after having which they always separated to go hunting 
through the woods to bring in the provisions for the next day. 

Robin Hood’s men, then, were scattered about under 
the shade of a huge spreading oak tree, waiting for the 
roast venison, which sent a very pleasant odor from the 
glowing fire of oak wood, and young Robin was seated on 
the mossy grass close by the thatched shed which formed 
the captain’s headquarters, where Maid Marian was busy 
spreading the supper for the little party who ate with Robin 
Hood himself. 

Little John was there, lying down, smiling and con- 
tented after a hard day’s hunting, listening to young Robin, 
who was displaying the treasures he had brought in that 
day, and telling his great companion where he had found them. 
There were flowers for Maid Marian, because she was 
63 


64 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


fond of the purple and yellow loosestrife, and long thick reeds 
in a bundle. 

“ You can make me some arrows of those,’’ said Robin; 
‘ and I’ve found a young yew tree with a bough quite straight. 
You must cut that down and dry it to make me a bigger 
bow. This one is not strong enough.” 

“ Very well, big one,” said Little John, smiling and 
stretching out his hand to smooth the boy’s curly brown 
hair. “ Anything else for me to do ? ” 

“ Oh yes, lots of things, only I can’t think of them yet. 
Look here, I found these.” 

The boy took some round prickly husks out of his pocket. 

“ Chestnuts — eating ones.” 

“ Yes, I know where you got them,” said Little John, 
but they’re no good. Look.” 

He tore one of the husks open, and laid bare the rich 
brown nut; but it was, as he said, good for nothing, there 
being no hard sweet kernel within, nothing but soft pithy 
woolly stuff. 

“ No good at all,” continued the great forester; “ but I’ll 
show you a tree which bears good ones, only the nuts are 
better if they’re left till they drop out of their husks.” 

“ And then the pigs get them,” said Robin. 

“ Then you must get up before the pigs, and be first. 
Halloa ! What now ? ” 

For a horn was blown at a distance, and the men under 
the great oak tree sprang to their feet, while Robin Hood 
came out to see what the signal meant. 

Young Robin, who was now quite accustomed to the 
foresters’ ways, caught up his bow like the rest, and stood 
looking eagerly in the direction from which the cheery 
sounding notes of the horn were blown. 

He had not long to wait, for half a dozen of the 



Robin looked fiercely round at the astonished men, 
as he drew the dagger which hung from his belt. 



66 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


merry men in green came marching towards them with a 
couple of prisoners, each having his hands fastened behind 
him with a bow-string and a broad bandage tied over his 
eyes, so that they should not know their way again to the 
outlaws’ stronghold. 

“ Prisoners ! ” said young Robin. 

“ Poor men, too,” grumbled Little John. 

“ Then you’ll give them their supper and send them 
away to-morrow morning,” said young Robin. 

” I suppose so,” said Little John, ” but I don’t know 
what made our fellows bring them in.” 

“ Let’s go and see,” said young Robin. 

Little John followed as the boy marched off, bow in 
hand, to where Robin Hood was standing, waiting to hear 
what his men had to say about the prisoners they had 
brought in. And as they drew near the boy saw that one 
was a homely poor-looking man with round shoulders, the 
other, well dressed in sad-colored clothes, and thin and bent. 
But the boy could see little more for the broad bandage, 
which nearly covered the prisoner’s face and was tied tightly 
behind over his long, gray hair, while his gray beard hung 
down low. 

Young Robin looked pityingly at this prisoner, and a 
longing came over him to loosen the thong which tied his 
hands tightly behind him, and take off the bandage so that 
he could breathe freely, but just then Robin Hood cried: 

Well, my lads, whom have we here? ” 

The bowed down gray-haired prisoner rose erect at this, 
and cried : 

‘‘ Is that Robin Hood who speaks?” 

Before the outlaw could answer, he was stopped by a 
cry from the boy, who threw down his bow and darted to 
the prisoner’s side. 




YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


67 


“Father!” he cried; and he leaped up, as active now 
as one of the deer of the forest, to fling his arms about 
the prisoner’s neck. 

But only for a moment. 

The next he had dropped to the ground, to look fiercely 
round at the astonished men, as he drew the dagger which 
hung from his belt. 

“Who dared do this?” he cried, as he reached up to 
tear the bandage from the face bending over him, and then 
darted round to begin sawing at the thong which held his 
father’s hands. 

Little John took a step or two forward to help the boy, 
but Robin Hood held up his hand to keep him back, and 
a dead silence fell upon the great group of foresters who 

had pressed for- 
ward, and who 
eagerly watched the 
scene before them 
in the soft, amber 
sunshine which 
came slanting 
through the trees. 

The task was 
hard, but the little 
fellow worked well, 
and many moments 
had not elapsed be- 
fore the prisoner’s 
hands were free, 
and as if seeing no 
one but the little 
forester before him 
in green, and quite 



68 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


regardless of all around, he dropped upon his knees, clasped 
the boy to his breast, and softly whispered the words: 

“Thank God!” 

Young Robin’s arms were tightly round his father’s neck 
by this time, and he was kissing the care-worn face again 
and again. 

“ They didn’t know who you were, father; they didn’t 
know who you were,” cried the boy passionately, as if asking 
his father’s pardon for the outrage committed upon him. 

“No, Rob,” said the Sheriff, in a choking voice; “they 
did not know who I was. But you know your poor old 
father again.” 

“ Know you again ! ” cried the boy, hanging back, and 
looking at his father wonderingly. “Why, yes; but what a 
long time you have been before you came to fetch me.” 

“ Yes, yes, my boy; a long, long year of misery and 
sorrow; but I have found you now, at last.” 

“ Oh ! I am glad,” cried the boy, struggling free, and 
catching his father’s hand to lead him towards where Robin 
Hood and Marian were standing, wet-eyed, looking on. 

“ This is my father,” cried the boy proudly. “ This is 
Robin Hood, the captain, father,” he continued, and the 
Sheriff bowed gravely; “ and this is Maid Marian, who has 
been so good to me.” 

The Sheriff bowed slowly and gravely, as if to the 
greatest lady in the land, and then the boy dragged at his 
father’s hand. 

“ And this is old Little John, father,” he cried. “ I say, 
isn’t he big! ” 

The Sheriff bowed again, and the great outlaw’s face 
wore such a comic expression of puzzlement that Robin Hood 
laughed aloud, and completed his great follower’s confusion. 

“ He has been so good to me, father,” cried young 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 69 

Robin. “ I can shoot with bow and arrow now, and sound 
my horn. Hark!” 

The boy clapped his horn to his lips and blew a few 
cheery notes which ran echoing down the forest glades, and 
the men assembled gave a hearty cheer. 

“ You’re welcome to the woodlands, Master Sheriff,” said 
Robin Hood, advancing now with extended hand. “ Do not 
take this as the outlaw’s hand, nor extend yours as the 
Sheriff; but let it be the grasp of two Englishmen, one of 
whom receives a guest.” 

“ I thank you, sir,” said the Sheriff slowly. ‘‘ I can give 
you nothing but thanks, for after a year of sorrow I find 
my child is after all alive and well.” 

“ And I hope not worse than when accident brought 
him into our hands. What do 
you say ? Do you find him 
changed ? ” 

“ Bigger and stronger,” said 
the Sheriff, drawing the boy 
closer to him, while the little fel- 
low clung to his hand. 

“ Our woodland life; and I 
warrant you. Master Sheriff, that 
he is none the worse, for he is 
the truest, most gracious little 
fellow I ever met. Here, Little 
Namesake, speak out, and let 
your father know you have been 
a good boy ever since you came 
here to stay.” 

Young Robin was silent, and 
looked from one to the other in 
a curiously abashed fashion. 



70 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


“Well, boy, why don’t you speak?” cried Robin Hood 
merrily. “ I want Master Sheriff to hear that we have not 
spoiled you. Come, tell him. You have always been a good 
boy, haven’t you ? ” 

Young Robin hung his head. 

“ No,” he said slowly, with his brow wrinkled up, his 
head hanging and one foot scraping softly at the mossy 
grass. “ No, not always.” 

Little John burst into a tremendous roar of -laughter, and 
began to stamp about, with the result that young Robin made 
a dash at him and tried vainly to climb up and clap his hand 
over the great fellow’s lips. 

“ Don’t — don’t tell,” cried the boy. 

“ Ran at me — only yesterday,” cried Little John — “ and 
began to thrash me in a passion.” 

“ Don’t tell tales out of school, Little John,” cried Robin 
Hood, laughing. “There, Rob, you must forgive him; we’re 
none of us perfect. Master Sheriff, and if your little fellow 
had been quite so, I don’t think that we should all, to a man 
here, have loved him half so well. But come, after his con- 
fession, I think you will grant one thing, and that is, that in 
spite of his having spent a year in the outlaws’ camp, he is as 
honest as the day.” 

“ Nothing could make my boy Robin tell a lie,” said 
the Sheriff proudly. “ But, sir, I have come humbly to you 
now. Glad even to be your prisoner, so that I might once 
more see my child.” 

“ My prisoner if you had come amongst us with your 
posse of armed men, sir,” said Robin Hood proudly. “ As 
it is. Master Sheriff, you come here alone with your guide, and 
I bid you welcome to our greenwood home. Fate made me 
what I am, the Sheriff’s enemy, but the gentle visitor’s friend. 
Come, Rob, my boy, show your father where he can take away 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 71 

the travel stains, and then bring 
him to our humble board.” 

It was the next day that was 
to be young Robin’s last with the 
outlaws in the merry greenwood, 
and all were gathered together to 
bid him farewell, and see him safely 
with his father on the road; but 
not as the Sheriff had come, wearily 
and on foot, for half a dozen of 
the best mules were forthcoming, 
and the guests were to ride back 
on their journey home. 

Who does not know how hard 
it is to say good-bye? Young Robin 
did not till the time had come. 

He awoke that morning joyful 
and eager to start, for it was to go 
back home in company with the father whom he loved; but 
when the time came he had to learn how tightly so many of his 
little heartstrings had taken hold of the life under the green- 
wood tree. Everything about him had grown dear, and there 
was almost a mule load of treasures and pets of his own col- 
lecting that could not be left behind. 

And when they had been carefully packed in panniers 
by Little John and one of the men, there was the task of bidding 
them all good-bye, and then those two words grew harder every 
time. 

But he spoke out manfully and well, in spite of a choking 
sensation, till nearly the last. 

“ For I’m coming back again,” he said, “ and you’ll take 
care of my pet fawn for me, Little John, and always remember 
to feed it well. And don’t forget the dog and that dormouse 



72 


YOUNG ROBIN HOOD. 


we couldn’t find, so that I can have it when I come back, 
and—” 

Croak! 

What was that 

It was a peculiar sound made up in the air by Little 
John, and that did it, for when young Robin looked up in 
astonishment, it was to see the great fellow’s face all puckered 
up, and — yes, there were two great tears rolling down his 
cheeks as he caught the boy in his arms and kissed him. 

And so it was that when young Robin ran to bid Maid 
Marian good-bye, he could no longer hold it back. As he 
clasped his arms about her neck, and kissed her passionately 
again and again, the sobs came fast, but the word Good-bye 
would not come at all, and when they rode away, the boy 
dared not look back for fear the men should see his red and 
swollen eyes. So he only waved his hat, and kept waving it to 
the last. 

But he was to see some of his friends again, for about 
a year after the Sheriff of Nottingham had the strangest 
visitors of his life-time at his house, and young Robin enjoyed 
the task of welcoming them, for as one old history says, Robin 
Hood was forgiven and restored by the King to his rightful 
possessions, and then it was that he was gladly welcomed by the 
Sheriff, who said he was honored by the visit of the nobleman 
and his lady. 

But it was nothing to young Robin then that his old friend 
was an earl, and his lady a countess; they were still Robin Hood 
and Maid Marian to him, and big Little John, their follower, 
his old friend and companion, full of memories of his year’s 
happy life in the Merry Greenwood. 


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